Page 12 (2/2)

Shit, now I felt alet to e right then, it did no good to dwell on it

Allmore than to lose ht anyway

"Well," Chuch said from the doorway "I sent an e- there" He peered at us "You guys look like shit"

I wondered how he’d look if he’d been in Mexico City just two days ago, innocently exaue, as he was helping us

"It’s been a long day," Chance said quietly

If there were a candle I could burn to et how it felt to touch hiht then, I felt e the e used to be His hand in h, but then I’d always needed , and I jonesed for him in ways that weren’t safe or sane Quietly I withdrew et you bedded down? You still sleepin’ together?"

I answered, "No," as Chance said, "Yes" We exchanged a look, and then I added firmly, "He should have his own bed I’ed and set me up on the couch with plenty of pillows and a sheet to pull overuncomfortable "I turned the third bedroom into a home office"

"It’s fine, thanks"

I hoped I wouldn’t dreaht

Wicked Game

I dreamed of fire

As on the worst occasions, I ith the sheets sodden froht, dispelling so like I’d been running For awouldn’t stop Chance used to get up and make me hot chocolate whenever this happened, his eyes half-lidded with sleep He wouldn’t speak, just deliver the drink in a ritual that letthebetween my hands always o away for good after so htmare always coet worse when the drea device in its oay If I could be sure it wasto reach me somehoouldn’tleft of her, though, and I’ve tried several speakers for the dead They always claim there’s interference, a bad connection between this world and the next I don’t try to reach her any she was to host

Still unsteady, I crawled out of my sweaty nest and headed for the kitchen I’daround in Chuch’s kitchen, I unearthed a box of instant That’ll work

As I filled a cup fro water onat e "Who the hell are you?"

"Corine," I said, wondering whether lukewar would offer any real defense She looked ready to claw my eyes out

But her wrath went another way "I’ll kill hione four days and here you are in your underwear Pendejo!" She stormed down the hall toward Chuch’s roo down atinto the microwave

Within thirty seconds--and the microwave tied in a pair of paja for the kitchen at a dead run Eva followed, steely-eyed and ready to castrate "Corine, tell her it isn’t how it looks"

"What isn’t?" Yeah, I played dumb as I mixed the chocolate powder into the hot water Stirred, watching his agitation increase

"You slept on my couch!"

He’d thank me for this later "You said she left you What business is it of hers?"

"Dios, I only went to s We’re stillto hell!"

Oops Maybe I wasn’t helping "You never mentioned you were ht the spoon tothe cocoa "It wasn’t i to say "Wasn’t important! Five years and it wasn’t important Just like I don’t matter to you as much as your precious cars"